Thirty. Even writing it is scary. For some reason I never thought I'd be that number. Half the time I convince myself that I'm twenty one and have forever to get things done. When i was eighteen I knew that i wanted to be a home owner with a solid relationship and my family started by twenty five.It seemed forever away at the time, but the years couldn't have gone faster. I managed to scrape in on that goal, just! My partner and I bought our first home together while I was six months pregnant and my son was born four months before my twenty sixth birthday. Tick!
I have had a bucket list for years and have managed to cross off a few experiences. I have swam with dolphins, gone white water rafting (NEVER AGAIN) and more, but have noticed the increasing trend to have lists for each number milestone such as thirty, forty and fifty. I recently saw on the news a lady who is i think... one hundred and one? She decided for her birthday she wanted to base jump from a bridge! I am definitely not an extremist so i want to do things a little less cliche/extreme than the standard bucket/ milestone list. Now I'm a mum, skydiving holds a lot less appeal knowing it could mean not coming home to my gorgeous little boy and partner.
I think having short term goals is good for motivation and its' also little reminder to take a break occasionally and smell the roses. So I have decided to complete a list of things to do before I am thirty. I have three and bit years in which to complete it so I think a good number to aim for is ninety. Thirty goals for each of the three years leading up to thirty. Sounds slightly auspicious doesn't it?
For now I will concentrate on the next year so will make my first list of thirty. If I am that amazing that i complete them all super fast well maybe ill increase it, but for now this is it. I will keep you updated with photos of my progress as I go on.
- Create an organic vegetable garden in my home.
2. One act of random kindness every day. More if the opportunity presents itself.
I always feel good helping others out and I become really quite frustrated when i see other people blatantly ignoring someone who is struggling as if their own time is just too precious to bother sharing it. It's also a free way to make yourself feel good so why not? I actually started this one yesterday and managed to fit in two! I saw a lady who had broken down in the right turn lane at traffic lights. She was by herself had put her hazards lights on and instead of people getting out and helping they were just beeping at her. Seriously, some people are moronic. If she's broken down no one is going to get anywhere faster by beeping! I wasn't in a position to stop on the opposite side of the road so I contacted police assistance to go and help her as had seen a police car in the area only moments before. it wasn't that bloody hard and I definitely felt better for it, especially since it was anonymous because now hopefully she has restored some faith in human nature rather than just people she knows. I also cooked my partner pancakes for breakfast that morning. (Brownie points for me!)
3. Restore a piece of neglected furniture.
Now I don't know a whole lot about restoring furniture but it is something i have loved seeing on shows like Better Homes and Gardens . Now that I am a homeowner I may just admit I have an addiction to the show. I recently met Fast Ed who is a bit of hero to my partner. When he shook his hand you could see he was star struck. Even more when Fast Ed picked up our little boy for a cuddle, he could have burst with pride! Of course I whipped out the iphone and got that kodak moment. Anyway, where was I.....? Oh yes furniture restoration. I really want to transform our house into a bit of a beach theme as we live not far from the ocean. I have some pine furniture hanging around waiting for a make over. Just need to research it a bit better. I'm thinking white wash or aqua with a little bit of bling somehow. If anyone who reads this has any experience or ideas please comment and let me know!
4. Learn a language (or two)
There are two languages I really want to learn and one day speak fluently. One is German, the other Indonesian. My reason for wanting to learn German is that my partner's extended family are from Germany. Eventually when we are in a position to, we want to go over and visit them for a white Christmas and for them to meet our son. The only thing is they don't speak English and I really want to be able to communicate with them. I also want to be able to raise my children as bilingual. I think that English is quite a challenge on it's own with all our two too and to words to confuse them, but if I start them young it will be easier for them. It could also broaden their career prospects at a later stage if they wanted too. My mum also speaks Spanish so that could come in handy too! I want to learn Indonesian for the reason being that I really love Bali. Not the mad rush and nightclubbing kind of Bali you see on the news, the traditional side. I want Bali to be my home away from home. More on this later -watch this space.
5. Begin and continue a weight training program and get in the best shape of my life.
This is probably something I say to myself every year. The problem is I'm not hugely self motivated. I'll be right into it for a few weeks but then I miss a day and then I miss another and then... well you probably know how it goes. Ive been really good in terms of diet though, that I've got covered. Since having my son a year ago I have lost 30kg through clean eating. For those who know me personally know that I had always been a small frame, however when i became pregnant I was in almost constant agony which at the time was undiagnosed scoliosis ( curvature of the spine which also makes hips uneven.) Combine that with 8 months of horrendous morning sickness meant that I carb loaded and couch potatoed through most of my pregnancy. I have been looking to google again at weight loss/fitness body transformations for motivation and that's where i want to be.If i can make it to that then in my next lot of thirty goals maybe I'll get a trainer and enter fitness body competition. Hahaha well I did say to dream big.
6. See P!nk in concert.
I am lucky enough to be crossing this one off my list this Friday. I absolutely adore the gutsy, talented and unapologetic person that is Pink. Her concerts sell out so fast around the world and getting tickets in your hands are not easy. Also, if I am to continue on the path of richness, a few hundred on concert tickets wouldn't really be justifiable for us so I made sure I entered all the competitions I could find and ended up winning a Covergirl competition. Boo Yeah! My cousin is babysitter for the night and me and my man get a date night and it couldn't have been for a better reason! I absolutely cannot wait.
7.Get married.
Yep, i want it official. I want to say "my husband" rather than " my partner" or my "baby daddy" Ok I'm kidding, I never call him my Baby Daddy. We have been engaged for over two years and the timing has just never been right. Family dramas, planning a baby, getting fat, a semi trailer of debt. All those things that life throws at you to get in the way of what you REALLY want to do. But this year I'm going to do it. Whether its in the registry office or a sit down dinner with sixty people, one way or another I will be MRS Baby Daddy.
8. Scrapbook my son's first year of life.
I really wanted to have this done in time for his first birthday, but found myself spending more time planning his party with last minute changes due to the weather. I have so many photos to sort through and find a range of backgrounds i like. I received the scrapbook for my twenty sixth birthday so it's been sitting in the cupboard a while collecting dust waiting for me to bring it to life. I love the idea of doing it, but also finding the time and space to get creative without master one stealing my stationary and ripping it up with a satisfied smile on his face is no mean feat.
9. Make all my Christmas presents instead of purchasing last minute, cliche commercialized products.
This idea came from when I was at a friend's place and I saw a jar with layers of flour, sugar,choc melts and smarties in it on her kitchen bench. It looked so pretty and when I picked it up realised it was all the ingredients to make cookies. The recipe instructions were printed on pretty paper and glued on to the back. I will be keeping an eye out over the year for more ideas like these as i like how personal they can be and probably cheaper.
10. Re-write my will
It all sounds very morbid but when I combined bank accounts with my now partner he was already a home owner on a good income, so it was second nature for us to set up all our affairs including delegation of assets, life insurance, income protection and funeral wishes. Of course now that both our names are on the mortgage, we have a baby and new assets and I am a stay at home mum, it is time to get it all done again. Plus when I had it done the first time it was through the public trustee as Australian laws require the public trustee to have control for the first six months before you can nominate someone you know to be the executor. Good cash cow really considering they get a percentage of your estate to do it and you don't get a choice in the matter.
11. Teach myself how to do Arabic style make-up
Arabic make-up. If you are not sure what it is, do a google images search. Precise black eyeliner, bright eyeshadow often metallic and a flawless base. Absolutely stunning, its like its own art for the face. I think this means that i will need to invest in some new make up!
12. Participate in the full 12km of the Adelaide City to Bay
I know I won't be able to run it because of my back but there's nothing stopping me from doing it as a walk. Last year i just did the 6km. We are currently 12 weeks out so have recruited a couple of friends to walk with us. I will be upping the cardio as of tomorrow.
13. Fit in yoga or pilates 2-3 times a week.
I used to be addicted to pilates and I felt great doing it. I've lost a lot of flexibililty over time in my back and so was unmotivated to do it. It turns out its one of the best things you can do for your back by strengthening your core. I often make excuses of not having time. That's not really it, I have been lazy. Not Anymore!
14. Try paddle boarding.
Like i mentioned earlier I live near the beach and don't do much other than occassionally walk the dog on it. (such a waste I know!) so I am going to attempt to take full advantage of it this year. I often watch the paddle boarders from the clifftops gently roll in on a wave and feel so envious of their "chi". If it was just about water, piece of cake! It's the sharks around that scare the bajezzus out of me. I find shark eggs on the beach all the time. My spine just shivers with the thought. However I WILL face my fears and attempt this at some point.
15. Make more of an effort to stay in touch with family and friends.Especially those who do not have access to Facebook.
This is something that I think I do but then realise how long I have left it in between phone calls or emails because I have been so caught up in my life with my immediate family. I am going to overcome this by creating a table with all the people I know care about me across the top and all the months of the year down the side. I will make sure that I put a tick in the month box for every time I call them so I know how long its been between calls.
16. Buy an oar and go kyaking
While i live near the beach I also have a nearby river (lucky me.) When we bought our house, a kyak was left strung up in the shed as the previous owner had no use for it where they were going. ( you can only guess) The only downside is that we do not have an oar to go with it so at some point I will find the money to get one and test my little blue boat out.
16. Manage my time more effectively to get more quality time with my family.
I wish the answer was to get up earlier but I already do that. Setting time limits in which to complete something is probably a more realistic answer. I am a serial multi- tasker trying to do everything at once. I start alot, I'm halfway through a lot but I haven't actually finished much. Hence why I feel the need to make this list and stick it up somewhere I will see it and remind myself of what's important -and what can wait until tomorrow.
17. Read three autobiographies of people I admire or who have an interesting history.
I find i don't get a lot of time to read so this one is probably going to be quite a challenge, I like to read in bed but apparently it interrupts my partners "precious" sleep pfft! While my son is up, forget it. He just LOVES to rip paper like a dog to a bone. I am a huge fan of Ellen, Oprah and Ahn Do so I'm guessing their books are going to be the three I read this year but if anyone has any suggestions I'd be happy to consider them!
18. Rid my home of clutter. Get rid of things that have sentimental or financial value, that I have multiple of for no real reason or that is just plain ugly.
I am pretty experienced in de- cluttering but somehow crap always manages to find it's way back in making itself at home on all the horizontal surfaces around the place. It drives me nuts. I do to find a way to store multiple cords attached to the tvs, laptop etc as these make a place look like a power station and I hate it.
19.Teach my son to swim
With the amount of children who die each year this is someething I definitely want to cross off. Not that we have a pool but that's not to say we won't in the future or be somewhere there is one. Plus living near the beach I can only assume when he is older we will spend a lot more time down there.
20. Completely clear my back yard and make it an area that my son and dogs can play in.
Right now my back yard is not even recognisable. I have a giant mandarin tree and a peach tree planted randomly, nettle and grass knee high and the neighbours have some sort of rampant vine that has taken up residence on our fence. We have attempted to cut it all back twice but without poisoning it grew back with a vengeance. Plus all the cuttings are still sitting in the driveway as we didn't have a chainsaw to cut it all up to fit in a trailer. I think when I get to this one though I might leave it to the professionals.
21. Find out how to write an e-book.
So many people are writing them so i figure why not me? I can improve my typing skills if nothing less and if i manage to write something people want to read, it may even help me reach my goal of one million by thirty.
22.Kiss my son first thing in the morning before picking up my iphone to check my overnight notifications
I am going to have to leave my phone turned off and out of the bedroom. It's become an automatic thing now. I pick it up to check the time but end up speed reading to see if there are any important emails. Seriously, I don't remember how I ever lived without my iphone.
23. Say yes to opportunities I would usually say no to.
I used to be a real social butterfly, but since settling down and drinking a whole lot less I'm a bit of a homebody. I like to catch up with close friends and family but I'm not exactly comfortable in a large group anymore, especially since being out of a "real job" because I feel that a lot of people probably assume a stay at home mum means I watch TV all day or clean the house occassionally. I actually do a truckload more but I like to keep my cards close to my chest just in case I don't do well at something. Which I guess brings me to the next goal...
24. Believe in and back myself.
I know I'm not stupid but I have come from a family of what I think now were "worriers" and "pessimists."For example I was DESPERATE to learn to ride a horse when i was younger. I wasn't allowed. It was too dangerous, something might happen, you might not like it and the money is wasted. I think these view are deep seated in my brain which is why making my plight so public is such a huge deal to me. I guess though while public I don't really know any of you yet making this all that little it easier. Kind of like writing a letter to myself.
25. Not to waste time getting upset about things that I have no control over.
Let's just say that at one point in my life I was what I call a "rescuer" and a "doormat". I tried to save people from themselves. One day a light bulb switched on in my head and I realised that I was draining all positive energy from myself to keep them up, only for them to take advantage of my good nature. Their promises of changing meant nothing. I am now of the belief that the only person that can help you-is you. Unless you are not ready to change then no one else will change you. It's strange though, no matter how many chances you give someone and they let you down, for some reason they think that you should cut them a break and they still deserve another. No thanks. Now breaaaaathhheee.
26. Do not let my dog stay fat.
I have a very strong dog with a few " anxiety issues" Basically this means that I cannot walk him with a pram in the fear he may just decide to have some spaz attack at a random moment and I can't save him from another dog, car etc if he decides to run off. Of course because of this he is resembling more of a coffee table than a dog. I am an animal person. I know better. I need some sort of plan to help manage his weight.
27. Socialise my son with more children in his age group
Up until now my little man has spent most of his time with adults. I never attended a mothers group. (No one from the hospital bothered to follow up about it) I pretty much winged it all from day one with the help of friends and family who are older with older children. The girls I did meet up with through various websites, I just didn't click with leaving me to fall back on to orginal friends for socialisation. This is fine for me but I think he is possibly missing out on some really important learning opportunities.
28. Get some photos taken with my mum and grandparents
My mum, like me, is always the one behind the camera so I have very limited photos of her and myself together. Same with my grandparents. I want my son to have copies of these when he is older.
29. Create a vision board. One for personal and one for business.
I love vision boards, I made one a few years ago. It's amazing how your subconscious desires steer you toward reality when you are looking at them every day. WHo would hae thought I'd end up with a Great Dane, Dalmatian and a little boy all within a few years of each other. (all were on my vision board but i put them there because I liked the "moment" of the photo rather than the actual breed of dog. My last one was a bit slap dash so I want to find out how to do one properly for my next one.
30. Let my partner drive a bit more often.
I am one of those back seat drivers you love to hate. I flinch at every give way, roundabout and lane change. I am convinced that I am the BEST driver on the planet and everyone else should have their license revoked. At some point I have to learn to let go of these fears. But not yet, that's why this one is last.
As I complete each goal I will post with pictures and a brief blog on the experience/satisifaction that came with it.
Happy reading and please sign by email to ensure you get the post each time it's put up so you don't miss anything
